Factory loads: 44mag or 45colt vs grizzly?

"44mag has much more power"

There is only one company that is loading ammunition that one could describe as having "much more power" and that is the Buffalo Bore .44 Magnum +P+ Ammo - 340 gr. L.F.N. - G.C. (1,478 fps/M.E. 1,649 ft. lbs.)
That is a beast. The .45 Colt has plenty of power Buffalo Bore Heavy 45 Colt +P Ammo - 325 gr. L.B.T.-L.F.N. (1,325 fps/M.E. 1,267 ft. lbs.)

The .45 Colt in "heavy" loads will kill anything on earth. It is "enough gun." Using this same "logic" would dictate that one should never use the .44 mag as the .454 and .460 and .480 and the .475, and the .500 all have "much more power" than the .44 mag. Buffalo Bore 460 Smith & Wesson Ammo - 360 gr. L.B.T.-L.F.N. (1,900fps/M.E. 2,860 ft. lbs.) That .44 mag sure does suck.

What fool would use that when you can get a .452" diameter bullet i.e. the same lager size as the .460, as opposed to the tiny .429" .44 mag and add a half a ton of "much more power" with a larger diameter bullet over the .44 mag?

Let's keep it real. They both work real good.
 
Meh, boutique brands can keep the power close but these are NOT standard pressure rounds and rare exceptions. Buffalo Bores standard pressure 45lc are exactly the same as the major brand ammo companies. All off the shelf loaded ammo from major ammunition companies like Winchester, Hormady, Remington, Federal, etc.. The 45lc isn't close to the 44mag power. Then there is only a few guns that can shoot the hot 45lc rounds loaded to rediculas specs. The 45lc isn't designed to be pushed to high pressure levels. If you want that, then go to a 454Casull.
The 44mag and 45lc are not apple to apple comparisons. The 45lc is a people killing round. The 44mag was designed to be a big game hunting round.

Take Hornady for example. They are known for their handgun hunting ammo.
The Hornady FTX hunting load designed for lever guns.
136240 .44 Magnum Ammo 225 FTX 1,410 993 20
180239 .45 Colt® Ammo 225 FTX 960 460 20
 
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to me, the platform is much more important than the caliber ( both should perform equally well, with the same shot placement )

15-20 years ago, I was going into the higher altitudes of the rockies pretty regularly, I had my gun smith / machinist buddy make me a precurser to the Ruger Alaskan... a Dan Wesson 44 Mag double action snubbie, with a proprietary compensator / barrel nut... my gun was blued, & I was so happy with Rugers gun, that I bought one in 454 Casull, when they came out...

... I studied ( well actually I read all I could on actual surviving bear attacks ) in many cases, the person involved, got ambushed from the brush before they got a shot off... in these cases, most survived, because of others shooting the bear ( no small feat, if your buddy & the bear are in a pile on the ground ) in a couple cases, it was listed, that the revolver malfunctioned... in some of these cases, I noted the guns used were single action, & I couldn't help but wonder, if during the pain & stress involved with a bear attack, that the shooter was just trying to pull the trigger, & had omitted to cocking the hammer 1st ( hmm... 1st mental note... no single actions, even though I love them, & shoot them well )... 2nd, while wrestling on the ground, often the victim could not get the gun pointed where they needed... ( hmmm... 2nd mental note... the longer the barrel, the harder it would be to shove the gun into the bears chest or belly, when wrestling on the ground ) there may be some that think you'll lose too much velocity with a snubbie, & for actual hunting, I'd agree, but for a "bear fighting" revolver, I'll take a double action snubbie every time...

that darned cylinder lock up... yes... I've expirienced it... while I had my Alaskan on lay away, I had just about got convinced I'd whack myself in the head, if I didn't get the barrel ported... I was already to send it out as soon as it came in, but the science in me, told myself, that I needed to shoot it 1st, so I'd know how much diffence the porting made... my 1st cylinder full... ( Mag Tech ammo ) locked up the cylinder... I found I was "stiff arming" the revolver so much ( for fear of whacking my head ), that I put enough force on the gun, that I cause the bullets to jump crimp... after I started letting the gun recoil in an arc, naturally ( no I didn't whack my head ), I didn't jump crimp on that ammo any more... however, I decided I didn't want to use that for bear, just in case I was in a position I needed to stiff arm the gun, by position, to shoot it... I highly recommend that bear ammo, gets shot as much as a shooter would to verify that a CCW gun & ammo combo would work well in all situations... I personally like a gas checked hard cast bullet with deep grooves, & a nice roll crimp, into the groove...;)
 
Yea, if I just wanted a grizzley/brown bear protection gun and NOT hunt with it, then you need a 454casull in a snub revolver. Ruger makes the exact gun in a afordable package. These are big framed guns and even with a short barrel, they are a lot of weight.
 
According to this guy, his Ruger Alaskan 454 did the job on a 1000lb charging bear.
http://www.outdooroddities.com/2011/02/26/why-they-carry-guns-in-alaska/

alaskan_brown_bear_2.jpg
 
Super Sneaky Steve: As the saying goes "one picture is worth a 1000 words." Just my humble opinion, but 454 Casull would be my preferred handgun caliber choice in griz country.
 
If you are using an offering from Double Tap, HSM, Grizzly Cartridge, Buffalo Bore, Alaska BackPacker, Corbon or any other company that loads .45 Colt to modern pressures or load your own, you can flip a coin between the .44 and the .45 and be equally armed either way.

I carry a Redhawk .45 Colt. My warm weather load is a 330 gr LFNGC bullet stuffed over 24.0 grs of H-110 (I know it's a pinch over max book). Cold weather is the same bullet over 20.0 of Lil Gun.

I also have a supply of Buffalo Bore, AK Backpacker, Double Tap, HSM and Corbon that I've collected over the last couple years.

I have no problem tromping through the alders while wearing it and I sleep well at night when it's tucked in my sleeping bag next to my hip when camping.
 
Factories make ammo?
Click to expand...
Well, not sure but I do seem to recall seeing boxes on the shelf... About as close as I get to it :) . Not being a hunter, but a shooter, I have to rely on the 'experts'. I know what Ross Seyfried had said ( Something about a boy trying to do a man's job I believe) , and several others experiences .... Guess what I would go with! ;) And it isn't a .43 ....

That said, if (that's a big IF) I had to rely with the slim pick'ns on the shelf ... I'd have to go with the lowly .43. Better than nothing.
 
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